


In Your Home

by ahunmaster



Series: Viking AU [3]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Vikings, Angst with a Happy Ending, Clans, Cyclonus has the unfortunate luck of hanging around the bad guys, Cygate - Freeform, Developing Relationship, F!Tailgate - Freeform, Gen, Gender Bender, Genderbending, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Torture, Long Shot, One Shot, Sexual Slavery, Slavery, Tailgate doesn't know this right away, Vikings, he's decent enough
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-07 14:36:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11625627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahunmaster/pseuds/ahunmaster
Summary: Tailgate counts herself lucky that the viking that owns her isn't like the others of his clan.  He doesn't beat her, torture her, or rape her like the others.  He doesn't even acknowledge her existence, but that's fine by her.But what she does fear is what will become of her if the man who owns her suddenly dies.  And she can't let that happen...





	In Your Home

 

"What are you doing?"

 

Tailgate paused for a moment as she stopped, the hand holding the round stone still in the bowl of crushed herbs.  She was in the middle of making a salve that she remembered her mother making when the warrior had stopped her.

 

"I... M-Making salve... M-Master-"

 

"Do not call me that."

 

She bowed her head again when the warrior put down the arrow he had been making to walk over to the fire.  She was still making his dinner and was using the time to use the leftover herbs she had to make a salve.  He may have been the one who 'owned' her, but he was the only reason she had not been killed before.  And he was the only reason the other warriors of his clan hadn’t raped her so far.  So she had to make sure he stayed alive when he came back from battle.

 

If worse came to worse, she would simply have to find a way to end her own life.  Nemesis Prime and his warriors were not known for mercy or quick deaths.  And running was out of the option.  She had no means of getting away and she had seen what had happened to one girl who tried.  Tailgate had heard the girl's screams the whole night.

 

"I asked you what you were doing."

 

Tailgate managed to look up to see his cross face staring her down, making her feel even smaller than she was already.

 

"M-Making sal-"

 

"I heard you the first time."

 

She did not like it when he did this.  He would ask for one thing only to mean another.  It was never sadistic, but it kept her heartbeat racing and she feared what would happen if she didn't say the right thing.  Cyclonus wasn't cruel, but he could make you hurt if he wanted to.  He had even hit her once for spilling his cup of water on him.  He had every right to, considering he was in a meeting with his fellow warriors and the leader himself.  She was glad he had ordered her to go get dinner ready for him after that.  She did not want to be harassed and groped by some of those other men.

 

"...J-Just p-preparing in c-case..."

 

"In case of what?"

 

"... You need it."

 

Her words were rushed out so quickly he almost didn't hear her.  Cyclonus normally didn't care what she did as long as it wasn't poisoning his food or destroying his possessions.  But seeing her struggle with the salve, as she called it, had frustrated him enough during his arrow making that he had to question her on her foolish antics.

 

He hadn't been expecting that answer though.

 

"...Why would I need it?"  He almost didn't want to know.  From how she phrased it, it was almost as if something bad was going to happen to him soon.  He knew she couldn't possibly do any damage to him, but one did not underestimate their opponent because of their size.  He knew; many opponents underestimated his thin and lankier frame, much different from that of his strong and bulkier comrades.  But then had all fallen at his hand and his advanced sword work.

 

It wouldn't pass him to think this girl would try to get him so hurt that she would have to be the one caring for him.  Or perhaps a chance to escape, not that he thought she could get far from the camp.

 

Bowing under his intense gaze, Tailgate released the stone to put her hands in her lap.  "I... I'm m-making the salve now so if... if you get hurt in battle... I could... maybe... save your life..."

 

The answer almost made Cyclonus lose his composure.  She was making this for him?  Even after all he had done to her?  Invaded her village with his clansman, killed her villagers, and took her as a slave?

 

He almost didn't want to ask, but his gut was telling him to do it anyway.  "Why... would you care if I died or not?"

 

She bit her lip as she bowed her head lower.  "If... you die, I will... suffer."

 

He nearly jumped when a hiccup broke her voice, sobs starting to come from her throat as she started shaking.

 

"M-Mas... You are... kind.  You do not... hic... use me like... like the others.  Hic.  Y-You give me food... and a bed... and you don't-hic-don't g-give me to your c-comrades for favors.  You... treat me... decently.  A-And if... hic... if you die... I-I will die.  B-But not before t-the other r-r-r-hic-!"

 

As tears began to flow down her face, Cyclonus watched dumbfounded as she bent over to cry into her knees.

 

He... had never been called kind.  He was always a cold and calculating warrior, loyal to comrades and his leaders.  Loyal to Nemesis Prime and Galvatron, the leader's right hand man.  A ruthless killer who served as a proud Viking warrior underneath them.

 

And yet, to be seen as a savior.  As the only one who could save another.  And for this slave... this girl... to see him as a better choice than death.  He knew many of the slaves they had taken often took the easy way out.  In order to avoid a life with some of his less than honorable comrades.  But this girl... would rather serve him for the rest of her life.  Would rather serve him than take a quick death out.

 

To think this girl saw him as so much...

 

Hearing her sobs getting more haggard, Cyclonus slowly lowered himself to the floor to kneel over her.  After a moment of watching her shake and quiver, he hesitantly reached out a hand and hovered over her head.

 

He was not affectionate.  He knew nothing about giving comfort to another.  But remembering what he saw one of his comrades do with their pet dog, he awkwardly touched her head and... he wasn't sure what he did, but it was a mix between a pat and ruffling her hair.

 

Tailgate's shoulders jumped when she felt the touch, but almost relaxed as Cyclonus... 'pat' her head.  When he finally removed his hand, she slowly looked up.  Confusion filled her face as she met his eyes again, her eyes red and puffy from trying to wipe away the salty tears.

 

Pursing his lips, Cyclonus finally managed to find some words to speak, "I... was unaware."

 

She blinked in confusion as he brought up his hand to rest his face in it.

 

"To be honest... you were the first... slave I have ever taken.  Unlike many of my comrades, I am quite capable of taking care of myself.  After I moved out from my parent's home, I have never known what it was like to have another's life in my hand except for when I was on the battlefield.  But for the rest of my time... it's always just been myself I had to look after."

 

Cyclonus could remember the first time he had seen her.  They had invaded her village because a group of mercenaries who ran it had attacked one of their own.  So in return, Nemesis Prime had said, they had to attack them.  The mercenaries were killed and many of the villagers were killed despite them having no part in the attack or having no means of fighting them.  Maybe that was why he had a moment of mercy when his comrades were deciding what to do with the last person they had found.  She had only survived, having not been killed in the attack or claimed by one of the other warriors, because she had fallen into a ditch of slog and mud in a pigsty.  They had only found her because she had finally woken up just after the carnage.

 

Still, despite the fact that he could have just left and turned a blind eye on what the others would possibly decide to do with her, which was probably something horrid before they killed her, he had not walked away.  Instead, he had walked between them and stepped up to her.  Not completely since she still reeked, but enough that he towered over her frightened frame.  He asked simply if she could cook, clean, and mend.  Once she finally replied yes, he claimed her as his slave and took her back with him.  Not before dumping a bucket of cold water over her to get rid of the stench.

 

"I never thought that even though I turned you into a slave, you would still care about me.  I don't even recognize your existence some days and yet you still do this."

 

A dry chuckle left him as he turned to the side, throwing Tailgate off.  Cyclonus never chuckled-

 

"I have been a horrible host.  I bring you into my home and then I treat you worse that horseshit.  What am I, some sort of barbarian?  This is no way to treat someone you invite into your own house."

 

Tailgate sniffled again as she watched him shake his head.  W-What was he talking about?  Why was he-?

 

"I will not treat you like that.  Not like I have been.  You're a woman in my home, damn it, you're the one making my meals and all."

 

Watching him seemingly talk to himself, Tailgate wondered if she should run when a hand came up.  Nearly jumping back, she almost spilled the bowl over when Cyclonus's hand rushed forward to her head.  She closed her eyes, thinking he had gone insane and was going to kill her-

 

She felt the patting on her head again.  Her eyes fell open as she stayed still, letting him continue to pet her.  It was weird, but he wasn't killing her.  Slowly, the petting stopped and the hand came back down into her view, lying on his knee.  It took her a few moments to finally pull her head up, her tears having finally stopped as she looked up at the man who owned her.

 

His hand was gone, his face almost as stoic as it was before.  But there seemed to be something in his eyes.  Something she couldn't make out before he looked away, reaching down to pick up the bowl she had been making the salve in.

 

Cyclonus brought it up, holding it up with one hand while the other reached out again to her.  Tailgate flinched, but didn't move her hand when he grabbed it.  To her surprise, he gently pulled it to the bowl, his fingers moving her own to touch the now dry herbs in the bowl.

 

"It's too dry."

 

She blinked.  "W-What-?"

 

"Your herbs.  Were you still crushing them or were you trying to make the salve at this point?"

 

It took her a few moments to make out what he was saying.  And it took her longer to answer. "I... I had crushed them... like my mother did... I-I was trying to make the salve..."

 

He gave a huff as he moved her finger across the bottom of the bowl.  "You didn't add enough water."

 

"W-What?"

 

"You were adding water first, right?"

 

She nodded.

 

"You can't add too much, but if you don't add enough, it won't be able to mix and fuse with the oils you want to add to it."

 

She didn't answer back.

 

He huffed as he placed her hand and the bowl down.  "I don't know how your mother did it, but even if she didn't need that much water for the herbs, you are not as experienced as her in this."

 

Cyclonus briefly thought back to the raid, wondering if he had seen the woman during the whole affair alive or dead.  But he pushed it out of his mind as he reached over for the cup of water and slowly added some more water.  Tailgate didn't seem to be there completely, at least not until he started grinding the herbs together with the water.

 

"Ah-!"

 

"It's alright.  I've made a few in my day to know how to do this.  Just tell me when their ready and we can add the other ingredients.  It'll be easier if you pour while I stir."

 

Tailgate didn't say much, watching as the warrior seamlessly mixed the herbs and the water together until they were just the right texture.

 

"This looks good enough," Cyclonus looked up to Tailgate from the bowl, "Pour in the next ingredient."

 

He wondered for a moment if she had lost her mind.  Crap, he must have done a number to her mind, staring her down before being so... helpful.  It would have made him hesitate, except that he had no idea how to get someone else out of it.  He was just so used to-

 

HIs eyes widened.  He could imagine the look on his face.  It was probably something no one else had seen.  And to think it was a girl.  A girl who had caught him so off guard.

 

Tailgate smiled.  It was a small one, a soft one.  But in all these weeks... a few months... all this time she had been here, he had only seen her cower and cry.  And most of the time, he had never bothered looking at her.

 

It was a disgrace to blindly ignore someone under his charge.  Acting as if she had never existed, that his food was just ready for him after a hard day hunting.  That his armor was cleaned and his clothes were mended and his water drawn ever morning by nothing.  She was the one assisting him and making his life easier and what had he done for her?

 

Nothing except pretend she didn't even exist half the time.

 

Watching in awe, Cyclonus couldn't take his eyes off that sweet smile as she leaned down to pick up another small bowl of... he couldn't tell what it was.  He was too focused on her face as she brought it back.

 

"U-Um... s-should I pour it in now?"

 

He suddenly realized he was staring.  Bringing his face back to his normal stoic self, he nodded and looked back down at the bowl.  "Slowly pour it in.  When I say stop or slow down, you do so."

 

"O-Okay."

 

And for the rest of that evening, Cyclonus worked with Tailgate to make the salve.  It was an odd evening for the Viking warrior.  To think that having ignored her all day, he was now making salve with her.  Since when had he been one to spend time with someone other than his leader and his comrades?  Someone he didn't consider to be on par with those he considered the best?

 

But after seeing the look on her face when the salve turned out just like her mother, he almost didn't mind making her the exception.

 

END


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